How Prayer Can Improve Your Sundays
Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!
Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!
Do you enjoy feeling closer to God?
Do you find new experiences to be rewarding?
Are you interested in having more spiritual experiences?
Prayer is one of our most unique abilities. There's no evidence that other creatures or physical objects can pray.
Unlike breathing and many of our automatic processes, prayer is something we have to choose to do.
Many people never pray except if their life . . . or the life of a loved one . . . is in danger. Many people have reported, "There are no atheists on a battlefield."
Others pray out of habit . . . before eating . . . or before going to sleep.
Most people pray when in houses of worship. The minister, priest or rabbi says, "Let us pray," and that invocation triggers a prayer.
I have another idea for you: Learn to pray for the joy of it on Sundays!
How might your life change if you experienced most of your joy from praying?
There's an easy way to find out: Try it for a day.
Here are some suggestions for joyful prayer.
1. Think joyful thoughts as you pray.
We all have different things that make us feel joy. Concentrate on remembering what those things are in your life. Imagine and experience those joys just before you start to pray.
As easy way to begin is to express gratitude for the joy that those activities and thoughts bring you.
2. Pray for guidance in how to make what now causes you sadness into a source of joy.
Many people feel sad when a loved one dies. Yet I have had the great good fortune to meet people who found great joy from being with someone while they died. Mother Teresa used to say that helping someone have a good death was a wonderful experience for her.
God can show you the way to turn anything into Divine joy. All you need to do is ask for guidance. He will show the way.
3. Think about your obstacles in life as opportunities to experience new joy and pray for the wisdom to pursue that joy.
Let's say that you don't like your job. You can think about a great job you would like to have and focus on how much joy you will feel when you gain that new job. .
4. Feeling love for others is a wonderful source of joy. Pray for as many people as you can in terms of your love for them and wish for them to have joy as well.
Start with the people you usually love quite well. Gradually add those you love only a little. But keep moving on until you get to those you don't yet love. And keep going to add people you don't like. And be sure to get to those who really make you angry . . . and give them all the love you can.
5. Pick positive reminders to pray more frequently.
Most of us let negative events trigger many of our prayers. I suggest that you add some new habits. Let positive events become prayer triggers as well. If someone you don't know smiles at you, say a joyful prayer for them. If someone does you an unexpected favor, say a thankful prayer with joy in your heart. If someone tells you that they love you, say a joyful prayer that others may hear the same message in the next few seconds.
6. Think of joyful prayer as your favorite activity on Sundays.
Sundays are a day of rest for most people. As you pursue those restful activities that you love best, include prayer as part of your happy, joyful activities. Let prayer be the best part of those activities. Let prayer lift your spirit to new highs. Let prayer bring a wider smile to your face. Let prayer might your heart feel light.
7. Let prayer be your response to seeing looming dark clouds.
Most of us see dark clouds and feel gloomy. But God has a positive purpose for those dark clouds. Think of the joy that finding that positive purpose will bring to you and others. Pray for guidance to find, grasp and share the silver lining to those dark clouds.
8. Add song and dance to your joyful prayers.
God wants you to enjoy prayer. You would be excited if you were in conversation with your favorite celebrity. You might dance right up to him or her and break out in song. Why not do the same with God?
9. Pray for Heaven on Earth.
Through faith, we are told that we can ask and we will receive. We haven't been to Heaven yet. Much prayer is spent on being sure that we get there. Add to that thought asking God's guidance for making Heaven available here on Earth. Imagine what joy that would bring!
10. Thank God at the end of the each Sunday for reminding you to use prayer to have greater joy.
During that prayer, reflect on all of the wonderful prayers you said that Sunday. You'll feel all of that joy again!
Please add your comments with ways that you've found to create joy through prayer. I'm sure that other readers will be interested. Thanks!
Can any billionaire do better? I doubt it.
When was the last time you saw a joyful billionaire? I cannot think of such an occasion. Billionaires are usually shown looking like they ate something sour.
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N.B. As you can tell, I'm experimenting with color. Let me know what you like and what I should change about my use of color. Many thanks to Linda Grace for her suggestions which I am following!
Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.
Tomorrow, join me in looking at how blog writing can enrich your life better than a billionaire.
Tuesday, we'll look at how to enjoy your next (or first) cruise more.
On Wednesday, I'll share the story with you of the "accidental mansion owner" and I promise that you'll chuckle for days over this one.
Thursday, let's explore plans for a terrific Thanksgiving.
On Friday, I'll describe my fantastic visit to the University of Michigan-Penn State game in Ann Arbor and advise you on even more ways to enjoy college football.
Saturday, we'll sit back and relax with our favorite music . . . and gain new benefits in the process.
On Sunday, let's listen to some great spiritual music to soothe your soul.
August 31 was the most frequently read blog entry to date. Be sure to check it out!
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Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Enjoy Mansions Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoymansionsbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,
Enjoy Football Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoyfootballbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and
Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/.
I offer individual on-line tutorials and in-person seminars on living better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day, creating 2,000 percent solutions (20 times the results with the same effort), developing more profitable business models and designing strategies that work regardless of the business environment. For information, contact me at ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com.
I am available to you as a speaker on these subjects. You can find my background at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005_08_30_livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars_archive.html/.
May God bless you.
Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge
Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell
posted by Donald Mitchell @ 8:20 AM
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